DEO leads green crusade

OUR CORRESPONDENT

Jamshedpur, Aug 4: East Singhbhum district education officer (DEO) Tulsi Das issued a directive to all high school principals and acting principals this afternoon, urging them to make sapling plantation a must for students.

Apart from this, the directive also made forming eco clubs in schools mandatory, which would ensure upkeep of these saplings.

Early this year, the state human resource department (HRD) had directed all high schools to constitute such clubs. However, none of the districts carried out the order. East Singhbhum becomes the first to make it mandatory.

“The clubs would involve students in environment-friendly programmes. The objective is to encourage the next generation to be part of the larger green crusade,” said the DEO.

More than 150 schools will provide hands-on experience to students on planting and nurturing saplings and also enhance knowledge on conservation issues.

Speaking about the directive, Das said: “Schools have been asked to select their own varieties of saplings. The district forest department, NGOs and corporate houses would help us get the saplings and distribute them. However, the schools that do not have a proper boundary to protect the saplings, will also be given tree guards.”

The activities of the clubs do not stop at only organising plantation drives. It will also host debate, quiz and workshops on environmental issues and take up sanitation and cleanliness campaigns in localities near the schools.

This apart, the DEO has also asked schools to fill up a form issued by the state HRD to assess infrastructure availability in the schools.

The schools have to give insights about lavatory, electricity, drinking water facility, boundary walls, condition of classrooms teachers’ strength and such other details within a week to the DEO.

“This is a government directive, which would be sent to the director of higher education in Ranchi by August 15. We would also keep a copy to get first hand information on available infrastructure in different schools and plan utilisation of funds,” Das said.